Editor,
I write to express my deep resentment at the ongoing selective hunger strike taken up by the Chairman of Greentech Foundation, Meghalaya. While the cause of Lumpongdeng is understood, the selective nature of the protest raises serious questions about the credibility and consistency of the Foundation’s activism.
Since its supposed inception in 2019, the Foundation has remained conspicuously silent on pressing environmental issues. It did not raise its voice against the rampant coal mining in Jaintia Hills, which has caused severe ecological degradation. It was equally silent when trees were uprooted for the ropeway project in Lawsohtun. Yet, the Foundation was vocal in opposing the coverage of a stretch at Wahthangsniang in Laitumkhrah for road widening, while remaining mute when Umshyrpi in Malki was covered to pave way for parking and shops. There is illegal felling of trees for charcoal burning that the foundation must have skipped for unknown reasons but it seems to be vocal only on projects that the government is initiating or is in a nascent stage like the Umiam tourism project or the Nonghyllem eco-tourism project. Such selective interventions betray inconsistency and weaken the moral ground of the current hunger strike.
Moreover, the government has already clarified that no permanent structure will be permitted at Lumpongdeng. In light of this assurance, the hunger strike appears to lack justification. The participation of a few political parties further politicizes the issue, and the labelling of spa tourism as “sex tourism” is both demeaning and misleading. Traditional massage equivalent to spa is a respected practice in Meghalaya, rooted in culture and wellness. To malign spa vis a vis massage with such terminology is uncalled for and I urge the President of the VPP to withdraw this remark and issue an apology at the earliest.
Environmental activism must be consistent, balanced, and rooted in genuine concern for nature and community. Selective protests and disparaging statements only erode public trust and diminish the credibility of those who claim to champion the environment.
Suzzane K.
Shillong-2
Via-email
